The United States accused Iran (news - web sites) on Wednesday of deceiving U.N. inspectors over its nuclear arms ambitions, a charge diplomats said increased pressure on Tehran to accept European demands in key talks this month.
The criticism comes a day before President Bush (news - web sites) was to meet Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) to discuss whether to join Europe in offering incentives to Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions.
France, Britain and Germany, which criticized Tehran for not fully adhering to its pledge to freeze all activities that could be used to make atomic weapons, are offering Iran economic and political incentives to terminate the most sensitive parts of its program. Iran has refused.
Bush has taken a harder line, calling for Iran to face U.N. sanctions, but hinted last week he may support the EU trio's approach. It would mark a significant shift in strategy for Bush, who has been reluctant to consider incentives for Iran to avoid being seen as rewarding bad behavior.
Bush's envoy Jackie Sanders told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors that Iran was "willing and apparently able to cynically manipulate the nuclear non-proliferation regime in the pursuit of nuclear weapons."
The U.N. nuclear watchdog's governing board had a "statutory obligation" to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions, she said, according to a text of her speech.
"The Security Council has the international, legal and political authority that will bring this issue to a successful and peaceful resolution."
TOUGH RHETORIC
Tehran has temporarily frozen the program as requested by the EU, though the IAEA said Iran has continued some work related to enrichment centrifuges during the freeze.
The United States accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of its civil nuclear program. Iran denies this, saying its nuclear program is peaceful and aims to produce power for its growing population.
European diplomats told Reuters the tough rhetoric from Washington would strengthen their position later this month in a new round of talks with Iran, which has so far rejected the EU's demand that it abandon its uranium enrichment program.
One possible incentive for Tehran's agreement to give up nuclear weapons was that the United States would not oppose Iran applying for membership in the World Trade Organization (news - web sites).
The head of Iran's delegation, Sirus Naseri, said abandoning uranium enrichment was not a topic that would be up for discussion with the Europeans when they meet later this month.
"This is something that is not on the table and will not be on the table," Naseri said.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani, speaking to state television on Tuesday, said Iran was not afraid of being sent to the Security Council.
"We are not interested in being referred to the Security Council ... but we are not scared of the Council either because we have been acting within the framework of international rules," he said.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, investigating Iran's nuclear program for over two years, told reporters Iran had to be more open if he was to conclude whether its program was peaceful.
France, Britain and Germany, spearheading the atomic talks with Iran, also criticized Tehran for not keeping its pledge to suspend all sensitive parts of its nuclear program.
In a statement to the board, the EU trio cited Iran's pledge to suspend activities linked to uranium enrichment, and said Tehran's recent cleaning and quality control work on enrichment centrifuge parts was "of serious concern."
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Deja vu all over again?
